City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 2.1% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $102,100 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Eugene, OR to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,070 in Olympia | $97,972 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
62 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Olympia, WA | Real change, Eugene → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $104,650 | $102,528 (+59.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $124,060 | $121,545 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $94,470 | $92,555 (+15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $125,020 | $122,485 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.